Hermes R.M.S. Passport Holder Handmade In Evecolor Calfskin Leather Enamel Fittings Hardware 71 Bleu France

Bleu France is a true blue with no grey in it, closer to the flag than to denim, and it gives a passport cover a kind of official confidence. I have handed this across more counters than I can count, and it has never once been mistaken for something else in a pile of travel papers.

Sizing follows the R.M.S. template: 13.5 by 9.5 cm, 1.5 cm thick, one passport and a little slack. The Evecolor calfskin is fine-grained and matte, and the enamel at the closure is set low enough that it does not catch on the lining of a jacket when you pull the cover out.

What I appreciate after a long stretch of use is how the cover handles being opened flat. The leather creases without cracking, the colour stays even, and the inside faces have kept their shape, so the booklet slides out and back without you having to shake it loose.

The honest downside is colour transfer in the other direction: light items stored against it, like a paper ticket or a beige notebook, can pick up a faint blue hint over a humid trip. Keep it as a cover for the passport only and that problem never arises.

Where it belongs: rail journeys, embassy appointments and any counter where you want your papers to look in order. A blue this direct reads as official without a single stamp on it, which is a small advantage when you are standing in front of someone deciding your next hour.